Cold War ConflictsTHE U.S. AND THE SOVIET UNION EMERGED FROM WWII AS TWO

“SUPERPOWERS” WITH VASTLY DIFFERENT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS.

What we’ll learn about the Cold War

Essential Question

• What international and domestic tensions resulted from the Cold War?

Objectives• Summarize the steps taken

to contain Soviet influence.• Summarize the events of the

Korean War.• Describe government efforts

to investigate the loyalty of U.S. citizens.• Explain the policy of

brinkmanship.

Origins of the Cold War• United Nations• International peacekeeping organization.

• Containment• Blocking another nation’s attempts to spread its

influence.

• Iron Curtain• Imaginary line that separated Communist

countries from Western Europe

• Marshall Plan• U.S. supplied aid to Europe to rebuild after WW2

• Berlin Airlift• U.S. flew food to West Berlin after Soviet

blockade in.

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)• Military alliance of Western Europe, U.S., &

Canada.

The Korean War • Chiang Ki-shek• Nationalist leader of China.

• Mao Zedong• Leader of Communist rebels.

• 38th Parallel• Border between Communist North Korea and

Democratic South Korea.

• Korean War• North attacks South and controls 95% of

country.• U.S. counterattack under General Douglas

MacArthur pushes North till China joins war.• MacArthur wants to nuke China which would

have started WW3 against Soviets & Chinese.• July, 1953: Cease-fire signed.

Cold War @ Home!• House Un-American Activities Committee

(HUAC)• Agency investigating possible Communist influence

inside & outside the U.S. government.• Hollywood Ten • Hollywood personnel that refused to testify and were

sent to prison and “blacklisted” from working.

• Ethel & Julius Rosenberg • Blamed for helping Soviets acquire Atomic bomb

earlier than thought possible. Executed.

• McCarthyism• Unsupported accusations of communist ties to scare

and intimidate. Senator Joseph McCarthy (WI) was the leader and said 200+ “Commies” in State Department.

Living on the Edge H-Bomb

Hydrogen bomb had the force of 67 Hiroshima bombs. Brinksmanship

President Eisenhower’s willingness to almost start WW3 to stop spread of Communism.

Warsaw Pact Soviet’s alliance system similar to NATO

Central Intelligence Agency Uses spies to gather intelligence internationally.

The “U-2” Incident U.S. spy plane shot down over Soviet area taking

pictures. President Eisenhower admits spying and halts flights

but doesn’t apologize.